The temperature has finally made it to a consistent place well above freezing, and the last of the snow appears to be melted away. This can only mean one thing: Princeton’s home schedule is almost over.Princeton plays three home games in an eight-day period beginning with Rutgers and continuing Tuesday against Lehigh (7:30) and then next Saturday against Dartmouth (1).And that’s it at home for this regular season.Beyond those three games are a trip to Harvard and then the Battle of Bethpage, a neutral site game against Cornell.Princeton comes into this game off of two incredibly frustrating road losses, at Yale 16-15 and Brown 11-10. The result is that with five games left in the regular season and three to go in the league, Princeton has little margin for error.

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The first men’s lacrosse game in Princeton history was played in 1881. It was six years later that the game was first played by Rutgers.Rutgers dropped its team in 1889. Princeton gave up on lacrosse a little after that, in 1893.So how come they’ve been playing again for all these years? Well, both have the same guy to thank for it.Harland (Tots) Meistrell went from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn to Rutgers in 1920, where he played varsity football as a freshman and also restarted lacrosse.A year later, in 1921, he did the same at Princeton.Today, he represents both schools in the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame.Since that 1921 season, Princeton and Rutgers have played every year except for the World War II seasons of 1944 and 1945. Since 1958, the winner of the game has received the Harland Meistrell Cup.The 2014 meeting is the 92nd in the series, and Princeton brings a 59-29-3 lead into the game. The Tigers have won 25 of the last 26 meetings.Princeton has played Rutgers more than any other opponent other than Yale.

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Princeton and Rutgers both rank in the top 10 in Division I in scoring offense and average nearly 26 goals per game between them. The Scarlet Knights scored 16 Wednesday night in a 16-13 win over St. John’s and have reached 20 twice this year, against Monmouth and Wagner.

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Rutgers face-off man Joseph Nardella leads Division I, having won 145 of 198, for a winning percentage of .732. A year ago, Nardella finished fourth in Division I, winning 62.2% of his face-offs. Against Princeton, he was 12 for 24 in a 13-8 Tigers win.In the last two weeks, without the injured Justin Murphy, Princeton is 20 for 58 on face-offs.

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Kip Orban leads all Division I midfielders having scored at least one goal in 21 straight games. He and Mike MacDonald have at least one point in 23 straight games.Tom Schreiber has at least three points in 24 straight games and at least one point in 40 straight games.

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Princeton defeated Rutgers 13-8 a year ago as Tom Schreiber had three goals and an assist.In three career games against the Scarlet Knights, Schreiber has 14 points on nine goals and five assists.Schreiber has 97 career goals and 89 career assists. With three goals and one assist, he would become just the fifth Ivy League player with at least 100 career goals and 90 career assists, joining Cornell’s Rob Pannell and Mike French and Brown’s Darren Lowe and Tom Gagnon. All four of those players were attackmen.

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Tom Schreiber is the only player in Princeton history with at least 90 goals and 85 assists. There are 16 players in Princeton history who have scored at least 90 goals, and of that group, the next highest assist total to Schreiber’s is 69, by David Tickner, who had 94 goals. Of course, in fairness to Tickner, he did that in three seasons, not four, as freshmen weren’t eligible yet.There are seven players at Princeton who reached 85 or more career assists. Of that group, the next highest goal total was 83, by Dave Heubeck, who did get to play four seasons.

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Tom Schreiber ranks sixth at Princeton with 186 career points. He trails only Kevin Lowe (247), Ryan Boyle (232), Jon Hess (215), Jesse Hubbard (211) and Chris Massey (192). Schreiber has 45 more points than the next-highest total every by a Princeton midfielder, a record formerly held by Josh Sims, who had 141 for his career. Sims still holds the record for most goals ever by a Princeton midfielder with 103, leaving Schrebier six away from tying it.In addition to his on field accomplishments, Schreiber is also one of 10 finalists for the Senior Class Award.According to the award’s official language: To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of finalists follows this release.An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

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Princeton and Rutgers are playing on a Saturday for the first time since 2005. Usually the teams have played on a Tuesday. The 2014 Rutgers game was moved to a Saturday when Syracuse was unable to play Princeton due to its new ACC schedule demands.Had this been like every other year, Princeton would be playing at Syracuse today and then home against Rutgers Tuesday night.Instead, Princeton replaced Syracuse with Lehigh and then adjusted the schedule to have Rutgers on Saturday and Lehigh on Tuesday. Princeton and Lehigh have never met.

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Princeton is 1-2 in the Ivy League. Cornell is in first place at 3-0, while Harvard is also unbeaten at 2-0. Brown is 1-1, while Princeton, Penn and Yale are all 1-2. Dartmouth is 0-2.This week’s games are Harvard at Cornell, Brown at Penn and Yale at Dartmouth.

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Jake Froccaro has 20 goals this season after having 24 last season.The last Princeton midfielder to have at least 20 goals as a freshman and a sophomore was, well, nobody. Froccaro is the first to do so.Jesse Hubbard scored 23 goals as a midfielder as a freshman and then moved to attack as a sophomore, when he scored 53, the school record. Lorne Smith had 23 goals as a sophomore after having 19 as a freshman. * * *

What Can You Say About ...

Ryan Ambler #14 • starter on attack • has tied his career high of five points three times this season (Penn, Hopkins, Hofstra) • had two goals against Yale, including one to tie the game at 15-15 with 1:52 to play • had a career-high four goals, plus an assist, against Penn • had career-high five assists in the win over Hofstra • had two goals and three assists against Hopkins • had a goal and assist against North Carolina and Brown • had a goal and assist against Manhattan • had 11 goals and 17 assists as a freshman • started 13 of 15 games a year ago, missing games against Rutgers and Dartmouth due to injury • father Bob is the all-time leading scorer at Drexel Alex Beatty #36 • was the team’s No. 1 longstick midfielder in 2013 • is moving to close defense for 2014, but has been out with an injury • played against Villanova for first appearance of the year • was second on the team in caused turnovers in 2013 with nineZach Currier #25 • had first two career assists and first multi-point game against Brown • scored first career goal in the win over Manhattan • is playing on the second midfield • was ranked as the No. 5 incoming freshman by Inside LacrosseHunter DeButts #47 • has moved from attack to the offensive midfield to defensive midfield in his career • had a goal and two caused turnovers against Villanova • had a caused turnover and three ground balls against Penn • had 12 ground balls and six caused turnovers in 2013 • also had three goals and two assistsNick Fernandez #24 • had an assist (first of his career) and three caused turnovers against Johns Hopkins • had a caused turnover and two ground balls against Penn • started every game on defense in 2013 • moved back to shortstick defensive midfield for 2014 • selected by the Denver Outlaws in the sixth round (46th pick overall) in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse draftJake Froccaro #10 • 2013 Ivy League Rookie of the Year • 2013 honorable mention All-Ivy League • is the only midfielder at Princeton ever with at least 20 goals as a freshman and sophomore • had 10 goals in the loss to Yale • accomplished all of the following with his 10-goal game against Yale: first player in Division I to reach double figures since Jordan McBride of Stony Brook in 2008; tied the 63-year-old Princeton school record for goals in a game (set by William Griffith in 1951 against Rutgers), became the fourth player since the formation of the Ivy League in 1957 to score at least 10 goals in a game; became the first player ever to score 10 goals in an Ivy league game; bettered his previous career high of three in each half, with six in the first half and four in the second • had a then career-high six points against Villanova (three goals, three assists) • had two goals and an assist against Brown • had six points against Villanova after having seven for the first five games • had a goal and assist against Carolina and Penn • had a goal against Johns Hopkins • had two goals against Manhattan • had 24 goals and 10 assists as a freshman • tied for third all-time - and first among midfielders - in goals by a Princeton freshman • he and Peter Trombino are the only Princeton freshmen ever to have at least 20 goals and 10 assistsBear Goldstein #34 • starter on defense • had two caused turnovers against North Carolina • one of two current Princeton players who has started every game of his career Mark Strabo) • along with fellow freshman Will Reynolds marked the first time since Kurt Lunkenheimer and John Harrington in 1996 that Princeton started two freshman on defense in the first game of a season • ranked as the No. 97 incoming recruit by Inside Lacrosse • two-time high school All-AmericaSam Gravitte #17 • No. 2 longstick midfielder • won 3 of 8 face-offs against Hofstra • all-state lacrosse and football player • both parents are actors; mother won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in “Jerome Robbins Broadway” • has played Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables”Adam Hardej #16 • has played offensive midfield and shortstick defensive midfield • had one caused turnover against Hofstra • led his league in assists last year with 52Brian Kavanagh #44 • started and played first half of first three games • made first career start against Hofstra, with 10 saves and six goals-against • made seven saves in second quarter, when Hofstra outshot Princeton 18-3 • made six saves while allowing three goals against Manhattan • played 29:40 for his first three years combined • played 14:07 in two games in 2013, with a .500 save percentage and 8.50 goals-againstMike MacDonald #8 • has 118 career points (80G, 38A), 23rd-best all-time at Princeton • needs five to tie Jeff Froccaro for 22nd • ranks 20th all-time at Princeton with 80 career goals; would move up four more spots with sixm more goals • second on the team in assists and points • had two goals and career-high five assists against Penn • named Ivy League Player of the Week after seven-point game against Penn • had four goals - all in the first half - against Villanova • had a career-high four assists against Carolina • had four goals and one assist against Hofstra • had a goal and two assists against Manhattan • had a goal and assist against Johns Hopkins • had a goal against Brown • has at least one point in 23 straight games • 2014 Tewaaraton Trophy watchlist • 2013 first-team All-Ivy League • 2013 honorable mention All-America • had 43 goals in 2013, the sixth-best single-season total in school history and the most by a Princeton player since Chris Massey had 45 in 1997 • had 65 career goals through two years, leaving him third at Princeton in goals after sophomore year, along with Jesse Hubbard and Chris Massey, who rank 1-2 all-time at Princeton in goalsGavin McBride #37 • freshman who started on attack against Johns Hopkins and has played on the second midfield and man-up units • had 46 goals and 21 assists as a senior at HaverfordJustin Murphy #32 • has won 68 of 122 face-offs this season • had taken 122 of team’s 162 face-offs before missing Yale and Brown games due to injury • won 10 of 17 face-offs and had seven ground balls against Villanova • was 16 for 31 face-offs with eight ground balls against Penn • won 13 of 23 face-offs with eight ground balls, as well as first career goal, against Johns Hopkins • won 11 of 22 face-offs against North Carolina, including 11 of his final 18 • won 8 of 12 face-offs against Manhattan • won 10 of 17 face-offs against Hofstra • won 111 of 218 face-offs (.509) a year ago • took 218 of the team’s 380 face-offs a year agoJack O’Brien #29 • won 6 of 11 face-offs against Manhattan • won 3 of 6 against VillanovaMatt O’Connor #11 • had a career-high 13 saves against Penn, including nine in the second half • made first start of the season, played the entire game and made 12 saves against North Carolina • made 10 saves while allowing five goals against Villanova • played the second half against Hofstra and Johns Hopkins and most of the second half against Manhattan • made save in the final minute against Hofstra to keep it a two-goal game in 12-10 win • is also second on the team in caused turnovers with six • started the first 11 games in goal last year • had a .517 save percentage • became the third Princeton goalie in the last 25 years to start Game 1 of his freshman year (Scott Bacigalupo in 1991, Tyler Fiorito in 2009)Kip Orban #13 • has at least one goal in 21 straight games (longest current streak on the team) and at least one point in 23 straight games • goal-scoring streak of 21 straight games is longest current streak in Division I by a midfielder • had two goals against Penn, both of which came during 4-0 run after Penn had made it a one-goal game late in the third quarter • had three goals against North Carolina • had a goal and two assists against Yale • had two goals and one assist against Hofstra • had two goals against Manhattan • had a goal against Johns Hopkins and Brown • 2013 second-team All-Ivy League selection • Ivy League all-tournament team selection • had 27 goals and eight assists in 2013 • is one of three Princeton midfielders in the last 25 years to reach at least 27 goals as a sophomore (Tom Schreiber, Josh Sims) • had at least one point in every game • had the game-winning goal in the Ivy League semifinal against Cornell in overtimeDerick Raabe #5 • leads team with 10 caused turnovers • second on the team with 29 ground balls • had seven ground balls and two caused turnovers against Penn • had six ground balls and two caused turnovers against North Carolina • had four caused turnovers and five ground balls against Johns Hopkins • had team-best five ground balls against Hofstra • had three ground balls and one caused turnover against Manhattan • team tri-captain • started all 15 games on defense in 2013 • 2013 second-team All-Ivy League selection • moved back from defense to longstick midfield, where he primarily played his first two years • led team with 73 ground balls and 10 CT in 2013 • had the most ground balls in a season by a Princeton player since Matt Bailer had 95 in 1997Will Reynolds #4 • starter on close defense • had his first career goal in the game against Yale • goal against Yale was the first by a Princeton longstick since Rob Castelo’s goal against Brown in the 2012 Ivy semifinals • was ranked as the No. 7 incoming freshman by Inside LacrosseWill Rotatori #27 • starter on attack • had a goal against North Carolina and Villanova • had two goals against Hofstra in first career start • both goals against Hofstra came during 8-1 run as Princeton erased four-goal deficit • had a goal against Manhattan • had two goals and three assists a year agoEric Sanschagrin #31 • started the last four games of the 2013 season • played 14:39 of the fourth quarter against Yale, making four saves while allowing four goals • made 12 saves in both games against Cornell • of his 12 saves in the Ivy semifinal win over Cornell, 10 came in the second halfTom Schreiber #22 • team tri-captain • No. 1 selection in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse draft, by the Ohio Machine • 2012, 2013 first-team All-America • 2013 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist • 2014 Tewaaraton Trophy watchlist • three-time first-team All-Ivy League selection; only three players (Cornell’s Rob Pannell and Max Siebald and Princeton’s Chad Wiedmaier) have ever been four-time first-team All-Ivy League selections • currently sixth all-time at Princeton in points with 186; needs six to tie Chris Massey for fifth • is sixth all-time at Princeton with 89 career assists; needs seven to tie Don Hahn for fifth • has 97 career goals and 89 career assists • needs one assist to become the eighth Ivy player with at least 90 career goals and 90 career assists and three goals and one assist to become the fifth Ivy player with at least 100 goals and 90 assists • needs six goals to tie Josh Sims for the most goals ever by a Princeton midfielder • has at least three points in every game to date this season, every game last season and in the final game of the 2012 season, a streak of 24 straight games • has at least three points in 44 of 50 career games • has at least one point in 40 straight games, the fifth-longest current streak in Division I and the longest current streak by any Division I midfielder • 2011 Ivy League Rookie of the Year • has led team in points and assists all three seasons • led team in goals and assists as a freshman and sophomore; is the only Princeton player ever to do so • leads team in goals, assists and points • had a goal and three assists at Yale • had three goals and an assist against Brown • had three goals and two assists against Villanova • had four goals and an assist against Penn • had three goals against Johns Hopkins • had three goals and two assists in win over Hofstra to earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors • had a goal and four assists against Manhattan • one of 10 finalists for the Senior Class Award • father Doug, who played at Maryland and won an NCAA title there in 1973 and then the 1974 World Championship with the U.S., is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of FameTucker Shanley #7 • returned to the midfield after missing all but two minutes of the 2013 season due to injuries • had a goal against North Carolina and Villanova • had a goal and assist against Hofstra • had two goals against Manhattan • had a goal against Brown • had 20 goals and eight assists in 2012 • started nine games in 2012Forest Sonnenfeldt #2 • missed all of 2013 with injuries • had a goal against Penn • had three goals against Manhattan, including two extra-man • scored 19 goals and had six assists in 2012 • has started on attack and played midfield and has been an important presence on the extra-an unitJack Strabo #35 • team tri-captain • first-line shortstick defensive middie for the fourth straight year • had a goal against Penn • had four ground balls against Hofstra • had an assist against Manhattan • Academic All-Ivy League selectionMark Strabo #3 • has started every game of his career • had two caused turnovers against Yale • had a caused turnover against Hofstra and Manhattan • started all 15 games a year ago on defense • one of six freshmen in the last 15 years to start every game on defense as a freshman; the three who graduated (Chad Wiedmaier, Dan Cocoziello, Damien Davis) were all first-team All-Americas as seniors, while the other two (Bear Goldstein, Will Reynolds) are current freshmen